How to Place the Table Mat for Table Settings

Series Summary

Formal table settings are not something many people partake in nowadays, but special occasions such as Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, weddings, and anniversaries often call for a formal dinner setting. There are many rules for a traditional formal dinner table setting, including the order of the meal, the placement of each piece of cutlery or silverware, and the standards for the centerpiece. There are rules concerning the direction of cup handles and even rules stating that utensils must be made of sterling silver. Of course the average person hoping to throw a formal dinner party can create a beautiful table setting using their own creativity based on the basic rules set forth hundreds of years ago.

In this free video series, our expert in home decor will demonstrate how to set a formal table setting. You will learn how to place the dinner and salad plates, where the dinner fork, knife and dessert spoon will go, and even where to place the wine and water glasses. If you are interested in setting a formal table this Thanksgiving or Christmas, or just have a special occasion coming up and want to make your dinner special, let our expert show you how to present a beautiful table that all your friends and family are sure to love.

Video Transcript

"Hi! My name is Isabel Ramirez. I'm from Wesley Chapel, Florida. On behalf of Expert Village, I'm here to show you how to set a dining room table. This my dining room table. The first thing I like to do when setting my table for Thanksgiving is to protect it. To protect my table I use a place mat. Place mats are great for protecting your dining room table and your fine finishes from silverware and from hot plates. The place mat I chose here is red velvet, which could also be used for the Christmas holiday. If you want to use decorations for multiple holidays, this is a great way. Find neutrals that fit for different holidays. You don't have to pick oranges and yellows just because it's what you're used to for the Thanksgiving holiday. Now, if you want to add more decoration to your table, you can also use runners. I'm not using one here, but just of the purpose of the demonstration. You can use runners and place mats on the same dining room table. This will add more color and more life, and depending on how many people you have and how many dishes you put on your table, this is also a great way to protect your table."